BERGHEIL or AVUS

[ARCHIVIST]

I am looking for a very lightweight, vintage, and usable 4x5 (or 9x12) view camera for regular use.

I am looking for the picture quality that lenses like those on the Voigtlander Bergheil and Avus would produce. There are several long term projects I wish to undertake.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. The Voitlander seems to meet my requirements but if any one has any other suggestions................

If I cannot obtain the camera I want I would consider obtaining a lens/shutter from the period (1920 to 1930 ) and using my stripped down Busch Presman model D.

This is my first post.

Regards
Peter

[Bill_1856]

Since you already have a Pressman D there would seem to be little advantage in switching to one of the old 9x12 boxes. There are lots of Skopar and Heliar lenses of the period available, which can be easily mounted on your Busch.

[ARCHIVIST]

That would seem logical except for the fact that the Busch may be in use elswhere and may not always be at hand. This may well turn out to be what I may have to do though.

My passion is for using older equipment. I love the image quality you get from older equipment.

Peter

[IanG]

Get a Patent Etui, smallest, lightest 9x12 camera ever made, Here's mine alongside it's US competitor. when you realise the actual format is only a fraction smaller that's a huge difference







Just for good measure compared to another German 9x12.



Ian

[rfesk]

I sent two Patent Etui's and two or three lenses from Avus's to Australia last year. I use a Busch Pressman myself. And a Voigtlander Avus and Vag. All 9X12.

Finding the old 9X12 holders are not so easy and loading them is more of a pain than the modern holders. Plus there are less film types available without cutting down 4X5 film.

I would try to adapt the old, uncoated lenses to a newer 4X5 camera myself if the size of the camera is not important.

[Jim Galli]

Everybody is different of course. I LOVE the focal shutter in my old fashioned Speed Graphic. Then it is a platform for every old barrel lens that I want to see the look. Euryscop, Heliar, Cooke, Petzval. Fast and efficient as proven by thousands of press photogs in the 1940's and '50's. A Bergheil with a Heliar is hard to beat also. A little more fussy perhaps, and only the lens it comes with but the trade off is lighter weight.

[Ole Tjugen]

The big advantage of the Bergheil over the Avus is that the former has bayonet-mounted interchangeable lenses. But that in itself isn't much of an advantage if you haven't got a second bayonet-mounted lens?

Also the Bergheil can be had with Heliar lens. Usually cheaper than a Heliar lens without the Bergheil, for some strange reason. The best you get on an Avus is the Skopar - a very good sharp Tessar-type lens - which is also fitted to some Bergheils.

[IanG]

Ole, just about any 9x12 camera can be bought with a lens for lens than the same lens on it's own, it's crazy but true.

Ian

[ARCHIVIST]

Thanks for all the good advice.

The one thing that has worried me, and this was touched upon by Bob, is being able to find a quantity of good film holders if I go to the 9x12 format.

Film is not an issue for me as I only shoot b/w and I understand that 9x12 is available in that format (EFKE?).

By trade I am a darkromm technician (38 years) with a passion for archival processing of b/w film and print. Nothing digital - wet silver all the way!

Regards
Peter

[IanG]

Peter, pre-WWII 9x12 holders are quite easy to find in Europe, the main issue is there wasn't a standard so you need to be careful to get the right ones, but I now have at least a dozen that fit all my camera's, and another 6 or so that don't

Film is available from Ilford, Foma & EFKE in 9x12, but you need film inserts in the plate holders.

Ian